Born to Kill
by This One is Dead
Summary: SnakeSamus: It surprised him at how everyone could so easily take their minds off something like saving their world from impending doom, and take a vacation. Then again, they probably didn’t have to suffer the trauma he did.


Snake leaned back with his chair tilted backwards, feet resting on the table. The lights of his lone dorm room weren't bothered to be switched on. The only light was provided by the sun, shining through the closed curtains. He tossed an unactivated grenade up and down; years of using such weapons has taught him to use them with enough care. Snake's face was blank and unreadable as he thought back to his previous missions over the years.

I wish I was like one of these people in this place, he thought, referring to the residents of the Smash Mansion.

He'd received information on his fellow Smashers, and it surprised him at how everyone could so easily take their minds off something like saving their world from impending doom, and take a vacation. Then again, they probably didn't have to suffer the trauma he did, repeatedly going on missions to save the world, only to see another threat take its place in the never-ending war this world seemed engulfed in.

A few strands of gray hairs were starting to appear on his head. It was the result both of stress, and his accelerated aging process, a side-effect of the genetic engineering Snake had undergone at birth. Normally, a man in his physical condition would never be growing grey hair so young, but the advanced cellular degeneration caused by the cloning process to create him was rapidly taking it toll.

I'm going to die before I'll ever know what a vacation feels like, he sighed.

A knock on the door interrupted his deep thoughts.

"Come in," he said, placing the grenade on the table as he sat up straight.

Samus opened the door slowly, feeling a negative vibe in the room. The darkness didn't help.

"Your fight with Zelda is coming up shortly," she informed him. "Best get ready."

Snake's face remained unreadable as he turned away from the bounty hunter. "Cancel it," he said, "reschedule it, anything."

With the lights off, curtains drawn, a negative aura in the air, and Snake unwilling to fight, Samus knew right away that something was definitely wrong. Flicking on the light switch, she entered and perched on Snake's bed.

"Tell me what's wrong."

Snake chuckled to himself, "I'm not sure if you'll understand."

Samus crossed her arms, "I understand more things than you can possibly imagine."

"Hmph," Snake got up to sit beside Samus on the bed, "if you insist."

Samus scooted, making room for the spy.

"Have you ever thought that your purpose of being is just to fight?" Snake asked. "That you were born to kill? And no matter what you do, you cannot escape from it or take a vacation because it just... haunts your mind?"

Snake felt odd speaking so openly; due to the fact he'd never had the chance to pour his heart out to anyone. It had always fallen to him to be the pillar of strength, for Raiden and Otacon, as they fought through tragedy and heartbreak. The spy ran a hand through his hair, reluctant to carry on rambling. Samus noticed something in Snake's hair and yanked off a strand.

"Hey, what the-?"

"You had a gray," Samus smirked, holding up the hair to show him. "I get them all the time."

"I've never seen any," Snake retorted. He'd never thought the bounty hunter was the sort to grow grays.

"I yank them off whenever I see one. But anyways, I get where you're coming from," remarked Samus, getting got back on topic.

Snake creased his forehead in confusion, "You do?"

Samus sighed, standing up. She placed her hands on her hips and looked at Snake with a stern expression. "Have you ever wondered why I always hang out with Peach and Zelda? Especially when," Samus let out a slight chuckle, "if someone were to look at my background, I should be hanging out with someone like Falcon."

Snake cocked an eyebrow. Had she read his mind?

Samus read his facial expression immediately. She didn't need to wait for an answer; "Yeah, well, after Space Pirates killed my parents, I spent my childhood training with the Chozo. People are so amazed by it, but secretly, I would've done anything to have just a regular little girl. I've always wondered what it would be likely only worrying about my Barbie dolls being stolen, rather than having to worry about saving the galaxy from Space Pirates. But that's the duty I was given, from the very first day after my training was done, and no matter what I seem to do, there's always something else going on. And even in peacetime, my dreams are haunted by the memories of those I killed, so I spend time with Peach and Zelda because with them..."

The blonde bounty hunter sat back down next to Snake, gazing intently into his eyes; "They show me what its like to be a real woman, not a space hunter on an eternal quest, who's born to fight and kill those who threaten the safety of our galaxy."

Snake's eyes widened. So he _wasn't_ the only one in this mansion whose sole purpose in life was to kill. Sure, he had heard vaguely about her history, but that was simply to assist in his battle strategies. Not once had he thought to put himself in her shoes. Suddenly, his keen eyes noticed something strange amongst the bounty hunter's blonde locks, and plucked a gray hair from Samus's head.

"Ow! What the-?"

Snake placed the colorless strand in the blonde's hand, and a warm smile blossomed on his face; "Favor for a friend."

Samus giggled. "Man do I feel old when I see those." The laughter starts to fade, "even though they're really thanks to stress."

Snake brushed the hair aside, and silence fell.

"So," Samus blurted, "your fight is bound to begin soon. Do you still want to cancel?"

Snake considered for a brief moment. He wanted to continue talking to Samus. But then again, he could always talk to her after the battle. After all, here in the mansion, they had all the time in the world.

Standing up, the spy strode over to his closet. Samus watched in confusion as her friend momentarily disappeared, emerging with his SOCOM pistol in its holster, knife in its sheath, and his trademark bandanna wrapped around his head.

"Let's move out," he declared excitedly.

Both laughed as they embraced, pecking each other on the cheek before exiting the dorm.

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A/N: Millions of thank yous to Danish Ranger for beta-reading and a happy birthday to Lady Chitose. :3

I insist you review if you like it lul. 8D


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